Bonnie Aarons is surprisingly most recognizable when she looks nothing like herself, considering that her most famous role is the demon nun Valak in The Conjuring 2. Outside The Conjuring franchise, Aarons has appeared in over 50 movies, including some unexpected ones. She briefly appears in the comedy Shallow Hal, both The Princess Diaries movies, starring Anne Hathaway, and the psychological drama The Silver Linings Playbook. Still, Aarons is best known for horror movies, including Drag Me To Hell and I Know Who Killed Me, and The Conjuring franchise made her a horror icon.
Valak "the Defiler" is first introduced in The Conjuring 2, taking the form of the creepy entity known as the Crooked Man, as well as the white-faced, yellow-eyed nun. The ending of The Conjuring 2 shows Vera Farmig's Lorraine Warren sending Valak back to hell. Still, the demon nun image was so visually striking and popular with both critics and audiences that Valak was brought back in this form for two spinoff movies, which explore Valak's backstory and form prequels to The Conjuring.
Bonnie Aarons Portrayal Of The Demon Valak Contributed To The Success Of The Conjuring
Valak's Popularity Has Led To The Demon Being A Central Role In The Conjuring Franchise
The Conjuring 2 is a rare sequel that performed almost as well as the original, and much of its success can be attributed to Aarons and her portrayal of Valak in its most commonly taken form: the nun. Director Michael Chaves praised Aarons's "great scary energy" on set, noting that Aarons' appearance as the nun provoked a reaction in the cast members. The nun is one of the most iconic modern horror characters, with an instantly recognizable appearance and a feeling of unrelenting menace that made The Conjuring 2 stand out against other sequels.
Movies In The Conjuring Franchise | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Title | Date | Does Valak Appear? | Rotten Tomatoes Critics Score | Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
The Conjuring | 2013 | No | 86% | 83% |
Annabelle | 2014 | No | 28% | 35% |
The Conjuring 2 | 2016 | Yes | 80% | 81% |
Annabelle: Creation | 2017 | Yes (uncredited) | 70% | 68% |
The Nun | 2018 | Yes | 24% | 35% |
Annabelle Comes Home | 2019 | No | 64% | 70% |
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It | 2021 | No | 55% | 83% |
The Nun 2 | 2023 | Yes | 52% | 73% |
Valak's popularity led to the character being referenced in Annabelle: Creation with an additional nun-focused post-credits scene. The following Valak spinoff movie, The Nun, received mediocre reviews for its plot and predictability. However, the acting was praised, as was the terror that Valak in its demon nun guise still inspired. Hinting that Valak would be the main antagonist in the entire series by linking The Nun directly to The Conjuring was an unexpected twist, confirming that Valak is central to the Conjuring franchise. Though Valak's nun form barely appears in The Nun 2, the iconic image is unforgettable.
Bonnie Aaron's Role In The Princess Diaries Shows She's More Than Just A Horror Icon
The Next Conjuring Franchise Chapters May Include Valak
Aarons plays Baroness Joy Von Troken in The Princess Diaries, who would have become queen if Mia Thermopolis, played by Anne Hathaway, had refused the throne. Von Troken is an antagonist and an exaggerated 'evil queen' caricature, but her glamorous appearance is the opposite of the terrifying Valak. As The Princess Diaries is a comedy, the role allows Aarons to show she can inspire more than just terror. Aarons brings a similar glamor to her small role in the psychological thriller I Know Who Killed Me, and plays a military general in the horror-comedy Dahmer vs Gacy.
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The Conjuring movies are filled with creative spirits and demons that often steal the show, but certain creatures leave more of an impression.
Obviously, there's no expectation for her comedic chops in The Princess Diaries to ever shine through in The Conjuring movies, regardless of what may or may not come next for Aarons and Valak. Though The Conjuring 4 will be the last movie in the main franchise, a Conjuring TV series has been approved, which will continue the story. The mid-credits scene at the ending of The Nun 2 brings back the Warrens, tying The Nun spinoffs more closely to the main storyline, which leaves a possibility for the demon to return in the next Conjuring movie, or even the following TV series. If this happens, Aarons can be counted on to deliver another terrifying performance.
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The Princess Diaries
Mia is a 15-year-old girl who lives with her mother in Manhattan. But a visit from a grandmother she never knew makes her discover that she is the heir to the crown of a small European country called Genovia. Now she has to decide whether to accept this burden or give up the throne.
Where to Watch
- stream
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*Availability in US
- Director
- Garry Marshall
- Release Date
- July 29, 2001
- Cast
- Julie Andrews , Anne Hathaway , Hector Elizondo , Heather Matarazzo , Mandy Moore , Caroline Goodall
- Runtime
- 115 minutes
